The Kentucky Department of Education announced its 2026 teacher of the Year Tuesday during its annual award ceremony for teachers of mathematics.

Instructor from Spencer County Middle School took home the top prize and will represent Kentucky in the National Teacher of the year competition.

The 2020 1617 teacher in the year.

Is the teaching for 22 years, most of them and Spencer County High School.

Please join me in congratulating the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the year, Michelle Rose.

If you are only thinking about yourself and we often do that, we think about the problems we had and all the things were going on.

But if we can get outside of ourselves and start thinking of each other and lifting each other up, we're going to be stronger.

And so I hope to do that this year.

I'm so, so thankful I got into teaching when I was it, when I was in high school, I was asked to be a peer tutor, and I wanted to, I wanted to do a good job, but I didn't necessarily know I wanted to be a teacher.

And I had the opportunity to tutor several students, one of which was at risk for graduate of graduating.

And when he graduated with me and to to see him walk across the stage was so cool.

But knowing that there were teachers behind me, like looking back later, I saw the teachers behind me that put me in those positions that helped shape me, help build me, help, help encourage me along the way.

Helped me to want to be a teacher.

There's not a day that I don't want to be in the classroom.

And I can say that because I stepped out of the classroom for a couple of years to do instructional coach, and I missed it.

I miss the students.

I missed not being with them.

And so when I had an opportunity to get back into the classroom, I took it.

And so I've been in there 22 years and I like the kids bring me energy, the kids bring me joy.

When I walk in the classroom, they make me laugh.

If you want to laugh, teach middle school, and just the opportunity to just make connections with kids and help them to see their potential and their value and their worth means a lot to be stated here, to represent, Kentucky, as a middle school math teacher who, you know, some of my students don't even know.

And I'm just like, it's it's it's exciting.

It's so exciting, so rewarding.

I am honored to serve, the state of Kentucky this year.

And, I just I really hope to make Kentucky proud.

I really hope to build community, across the state of Kentucky, to shine a light on teachers and students and what they're doing, in the schools, I want to promote the good work that's being happened, but also just to bring people together to know that they, you know, what they're doing is making a difference.

Just thankful that I can represent Spencer County.

I can represent, Harlan County, where I grew up representing Middlesboro, where I got my roots and started.

So I'm just so thankful for that opportunity.

Well, the gratitude is evident.

Congrats to her.

As the 2026 teacher of the year, gross will receive a $10,000 stipend, a commemorative glass award, and a professional sabbatical.